Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to encourage (a) local leadership and (b) community involvement in the (i) planning and (ii) implementation of UK-funded development programmes.

Promoting the resilience and local legitimacy of local civil society and mutual aid groups helps to protect civic space and support open societies and human rights. There is strong evidence that local organisations are particularly effective at driving social accountability and improvements to public services for marginalised groups, including women and girls. Examples include our innovative £60 million partnership with Comic Relief to build the capacity of Southern civil society organisations, and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's programmes to support local Disabled People's Organisations and local Women's Rights Organisations. We are working to support the network to take a locally led approach that strengthens the leadership and resilience of local institutions, organisations, and communities. Delivery, leadership, and decision-making by local people is often the best solution, particularly in times of crisis and in complex contexts.